Idaho, FCS/FBS, and the Big Sky

[BelgradeBobcat]

I think New Mexico State will hold on as an independent in football for a while if they have to. They do at least have a couple of local rivals in UTEP and New Mexico that will still play them in Las Cruces. It seems to me like they would fit well in the MWC. I don't understand why they've been blackballed from that league. It's not like the situation at Idaho who doesn't have an FBS worthy stadium or market.

[Montanabob]

Mountain West didn't want any schools associated with the WAC because of the WAC trying to poach and upstage the Mountain West (or take away TV contract money) and the didnt need them. NMSU tried this year to get in Sun Belt as full member and was rejected. Yes they may try to join BSC as football only member or try to wait for Mountain West to lose another member to accommodate them. But the best option is drop to FCS and join BSC and wait for the inevitable realignment after Big 5 splits from NCAA football and revenue sharing in 2020 at which time they won't play anyone outside of the Big 5 without being bribed.
If they do join BSC, it will split into North and South Divisions which is good and bad, whole new set of complications, but excellent for FCS branding in the west and future realignment options.
I said it years ago in this forum that the Vandals will be the first team to be relegated from the FBS to FCS, but not the last. Their is one who conference (not the Sun Belt) perched for the fall.
This whole 4 year process of relegation is for the Vandal Boosters and only the boosters to get used to the plan. Look at the crap that flowed out 4 years ago from their AD, President and coaching staff about death before dropping. Now they are not only considering it, but openly embracing it. And now Petrino is closer to his Montana roots and can recruit heavy in Montana.
Important date coming up with Sun Belt dropping them. Interesting to note that their return to the Big Sky starts next year with the hosting of MSU. And why has no consolidated football schedule been postedfor either the Sun basement or the BSC? When the last long range schedule was posted 4 years ago (coincidence on when the cycle ended?) It was well before the start of the next season.

Funny how somethings belgradebobcat commented about won't happen are going to soon.

[NavyBlue]

Montanabob, are you aware that EVERY school in the MWC is a former WAC member? All of them. Idaho isn't wanted not because they were in the WAC, but because they bring very little value to the league. Small tv market, bad football, small hard to get to town, bad facilities. About the same could be said for NMSU, (NMSU facilities way better than Idaho's) but they would get in the MWC ahead of Idaho.

[St George]

Another interesting comment-he's concerned about the league getting too big. 14 teams fighting for one automatic bid. I assume he's talking here about sports other than football? Could there ever be a merger with the WAC-who could use a few more teams for stability? That may be a little far fetched, but who knows?

14 is great, Big Sky North(East) and Big Sky South(West), each gets an automatic berth in the playoffs.

[Montanabob]

Montanabob, are you aware that EVERY school in the MWC is a former WAC member? All of them. Idaho isn't wanted not because they were in the WAC, but because they bring very little value to the league. Small tv market, bad football, small hard to get to town, bad facilities. About the same could be said for NMSU, (NMSU facilities way better than Idaho's) but they would get in the MWC ahead of Idaho.

Yes I do. And that is why they don't want the poachers.

[Montanabob]

Another interesting comment-he's concerned about the league getting too big. 14 teams fighting for one automatic bid. I assume he's talking here about sports other than football? Could there ever be a merger with the WAC-who could use a few more teams for stability? That may be a little far fetched, but who knows?

14 is great, Big Sky North(East) and Big Sky South(West), each gets an automatic berth in the playoffs.

Nice thought, but you will have a hard time selling that to NCAA committee after our conference playoff record the last few years.